Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Former goalkeeper for the women’s national hockey team Syeda Sadia, who has accused the team’s head coach, Saeed Khan, of harassment and assault, has said that she will pursue a case against Saeed independently as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) seems unwilling to take any action against him. “I will definitely pursue a case. When it comes down to my respect, I cannot tolerate it. I will not sit quietly,” Sadia was quoted as saying. Sadia, who also captains the Railways hockey team, has alleged that Saeed harassed and assaulted her on the night of October 8. Recalling the events of that night, Sadia said she had been attending a dinner being hosted for players at the national hockey federation’s facilities in Lahore when the team coach, who had been “glaring at her throughout the night”, asked her to step outside the dining hall.

Once outside, Saeed allegedly spoke to Sadia in a harsh tone and grabbed her dupatta (scarf). He allegedly raised his hand to hit her as well. It was at this moment, Sadia said, that Tanzeela Aamer, secretary of the PHF’s women’s wing, walked out, saw the altercation, and stopped Saeed from hitting her. “Tanzeela ma’am then went back to the dinner. I ran back to my hostel room and Saeed followed me there,” Sadia said. Iqra Javed, another player on the hockey team, was in the room at the time, getting ready for the dinner.

Sadia alleged that once in the room, Saeed grabbed her arm and threatened to ban her – and Iqra, when she tried to stop him – if they spoke out against him. In her letter to the Sports Minister, she said Saeed let her go because she physically resisted and tried to run. “Then he forcefully took me back to the dinner. He told me to wash my face before I came down because I had been crying.” Sadia said she was highly distressed. When she returned to the dinner she barely ate and left for her brother’s house immediately after. She wrote to the Punjab Sports Minister, Jahangir Khanzada, and the PHF the day after the incident, detailing what happened and demanding that action be taken against Saeed. A copy of that letter, dated October 9, has instructions from Khanzada for an inquiry into the matter to be completed within 10 days. After that deadline lapsed without any action being taken, Sadia felt she should approach the media to present her case. She recorded a video statement to ask for help, which was circulated widely over the weekend.

The accused’s version: Saeed, who is currently in Brunei, has refuted the allegations against him. “I’m not guilty at all and am ready to face any inquiry,” Saeed had said at a press conference before leaving for Brunei. “If I was guilty, I would’ve escaped from the camp,” he said. “She made these accusations out of frustration at being dropped from the team.” That narrative was seconded by Tanzeela, also present at the press conference, who said the former goalkeeper had accused the team coach of assault “because she was dropped from the team” selected to travel to Brunei. The PHF’s women’s wing secretary has said there will be no inquiry into the allegations made by Sadia, insisting “they are baseless.” Sadia said she wanted justice not only for herself, but also for Iqra Javed – her roommate – who had later corroborated Sadia’s version of the alleged assault.

Published in Daily Times, October 25^th 2017.